


Rocky Road Remix

by annejumps



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-18
Updated: 2016-09-18
Packaged: 2018-08-15 19:54:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8070574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annejumps/pseuds/annejumps
Summary: Erik only feels a little guilty when Charles catches him eating his ice cream after midnight.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [listerinezero](https://archiveofourown.org/users/listerinezero/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Collected Ficlets](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2405579) by [listerinezero](https://archiveofourown.org/users/listerinezero/pseuds/listerinezero). 
  * In response to a prompt by [listerinezero](https://archiveofourown.org/users/listerinezero/pseuds/listerinezero) in the [xmen_remix_madness2016](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/xmen_remix_madness2016) collection. 



> A continuation of [Chapter 9](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2405579/chapters/5867504) of [listerinezero](http://archiveofourown.org/users/listerinezero/pseuds/listerinezero)'s Collected Ficlets.

Sitting at the kitchen table close to midnight, Erik looked up in surprise to see his roommate, Charles, standing in the doorway in just an undershirt and boxer shorts. 

"Oh, hey," Erik said, caught in the act of eating Charles’ rocky road ice cream straight out of the carton. "I’m sorry, I’ll replace this, I promise. I just couldn’t sleep." He licked the spoon—this really was exceptionally good ice cream—and held the carton out to Charles. "Want some?"

"Well, of course I want some. That's why I bought it. It's mine," Charles said, blinking, folding his arms. He looked flushed, irritated. Ever since he moved in, Erik hadn’t seen Charles look this annoyed.

It wasn’t a bad look on him, Erik thought as Charles ran a hand through his dark hair.

"Sorry," Erik said again, a little abashed. 

"I'll just—get another spoon, shall I," Charles muttered, turning to the utensils drawer and unintentionally giving Erik a great view of his round ass in those thin plaid cotton shorts. Erik looked quickly away as he turned and sat down. 

When Erik had moved in, it had seemed apparent that Charles wasn’t interested in him. Just as well, since they were roommates and drama would only complicate what had, judging from the past few weeks, shaped up to be a great living situation, and Erik had made enough mistakes along those lines in recent years. But Charles was certainly Erik’s type. Erik had avoided showing any overt interest in Charles, but it was a challenge sometimes; Charles was handsome, charming, had a sexy accent and big blue eyes, and was very intelligent and considerate.

Charles took up a big spoonful of ice cream, and Erik watched him eat it without trying to make it too obvious what he was doing. Charles had a shapely, very pink, very kissable mouth, and the sight of him eating the rocky road and licking his lips and the spoon was something Erik was sure to commit to memory. As was the way he hummed low in his throat at the taste. 

Charles sighed. "I'm sorry, I just—I was trying to wait until after you'd gone to bed to eat this." He shoveled up another spoonful, and Erik watched it disappear into that pink mouth. 

"Why?"

"Well, you just—I thought you'd judge me,” Charles said around the melting bite. 

“Judge you for what?”

“It’s just that you’re so—disciplined.” Charles shrugged, and licked his lips. “Always going to the gym. Eating right, with your Muscle Milk. Honestly, just look at you.”

Erik laughed softly. “Muscle Milk tastes horrible. And we all have cheat days. Cheat days actually help you stay disciplined. A release valve, if you will.”

“I suppose all my days are cheat days.” Charles laughed, flashing a brilliant if rueful smile and patting his stomach.

“That’s not true and you know it,” Erik protested, and scooped up another bite. “I see you every evening with your papers all around, hard at work. That’s hardly cheating, plus you do go to the gym sometimes.” In truth, Erik had no complaints whatsoever about Charles’ physique—he was a bit on the short side, but stocky and compact, nicely muscled, clearly someone with an athletic background, even if it was in the recent past. Regardless, he even looked good sitting at the table or on the couch with papers spread around him, sleeves rolled up and frowning at figures.

“I don’t go nearly as often as you do. And I go to the bar sometimes after work, as well,” Charles countered, but he was still smiling. “And besides, I was talking about my sweet tooth. The ice cream being only the latest example.”

“You deserve a treat. There’s nothing wrong with rewarding yourself.” 

“If I’m not careful, I can go overboard. I’ve been known to be a bit of a hedonist,” Charles sighed. “Was in my younger days, at least. I had my share of nights out through university,” he admitted. “More than my share. And through graduate school. But of course, back then I had sport to work it off.”

“Oh, and in your dotage you’re now an exhausted, sadsack workaholic,” Erik teased.

“Apparently! If I’m savoring ice cream as the highlight of my day.”

“How the mighty have fallen. It is really good ice cream,” Erik said, scooping up more of it at the same time Charles did. They ended up battling with their spoons over the remaining lump, dividing it roughly equally. 

“No more ice cream,” Erik said with a sigh, “and I still don’t feel like sleeping.”

“I’ve got a presentation tomorrow, so I really ought to go back to bed,” Charles said.

“Mmm.” Erik didn’t move. 

Charles didn’t either.

Erik’s phone, next to him on the table, buzzed suddenly. He looked at the screen and couldn’t help smiling. “Emma,” he muttered under his breath, shaking his head. His friend had started dating someone new and was updating Erik about it, with her typical dry wit.

Charles cleared his throat, and Erik looked up, surprised to be met by Charles’ look of resignation—just for a moment, before he managed to smile. “Emma’s your girlfriend, I suppose?”

Erik laughed. “No. Well, we went out when we first met, but… that didn't really go anywhere. She did introduce me to my last serious boyfriend, however, although given how that ended, I’m not sure either of us are grateful to her.”

And there it was. If Charles had reason to care whether Erik had a girlfriend or that he was bi, he had the information he needed. While it was true he hadn't shown obvious signs of interest, no truly neutral person looked like that if they thought their roommate had a girlfriend.

Charles ran a hand through his hair, and looked at Erik for a while. He bit his lip, and chuckled as he released it, glancing down and then back up at him. At that look, Erik would have done anything he’d asked, so it was lucky that he said, after a deep breath, “Erik, do you happen to play chess?”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to [redacted] for being a sounding board!


End file.
